Romanian job market showed focus on retention and high competition in 2025, analysis shows
The Romanian job market was marked by extremes in 2025, according to an analysis by employment platform BestJobs. In some sectors, job-seekers dictated the rules, while in others they fiercely competed for a limited number of positions, giving employers the upper hand.
In the IT sector, the limited number of available positions led to a record level of applications, reaching over 160 applicants for a single job.
“The recruitment process became a marathon of endurance, with longer waiting times, more interview stages, and much more rigorous selection. Nevertheless, salaries in IT continued to grow, not as a result of volume demand, but as part of retention, seniority, and specialization strategies,” according to the BestJobs analysis cited by Economedia.
When it comes to application volumes, two other popular fields in 2025 were Business Services, which exceeded the threshold of 1 million applications, and manufacturing industries, which attracted over 700,000 applications, confirming the high pressure in the labor market and the increased interest in fields perceived as more stable.
In parallel, the situation looked completely different in Retail, Construction, Logistics, and Healthcare. Here, the staff shortage created more employment opportunities, but also increased pressure on existing employees. In these fields, companies were forced to adjust salaries to attract and retain people, and candidates had more negotiating power, especially those with relevant experience.
Overall, salaries in Romania increased across all key industries in 2025, but not uniformly. The most visible salary increases felt by candidates were in IT (+14%), Administrative & Secretarial (+13%), Beauty & Wellness (+12%), and Construction (+11%).
For many applicants, these salary adjustments came as partial compensation for a more difficult context: either high competition or a large workload in industries with staff shortages.
“From the candidates’ perspective, 2025 was a year of contrasts. Some faced fierce competition and slower recruitment processes, while others had more options but also greater benefits from employers. Specialization became a decisive criterion for stability and growth,” said Cristina Ceban, Brand Manager at BestJobs.
As for the outlook for 2026, estimates indicate that these differences will continue to deepen. Candidates with specialized skills will have access to more competitive salaries and more stable opportunities, while generalist profiles will feel increasing pressure for reconversion, upskilling, or professional flexibility.
(Photo source: Fizkes | Dreamstime.com)
